Deathloop and Xbox Game Studios
Shortly after the official conclusion of the acquisition process of Zenimax by Microsoft, further behind the scenes emerge on the entry of Bethesda in the Xbox Game Studios.In particular, during a recent interview, the Arkane team had the opportunity to share some impressions on the welcome in the green-crossed universe, with the acquisition that apparently took the developers by surprise. "I would say it was quite surprising. - said Dinga Bakaba, Game Director of Deathloop, PlayStation 5 temporal exclusive - It was unexpected, in a way, but it diminished the surprise effect, we found it very sensible".
The director Arkane in particular highlighted how the priority of the software house is to freely give shape to productions rich in creativity and personality. This goal, Bakaba points out, will be guaranteed under Microsoft's roof, also thanks to the potential of Xbox Game Pass. With the relentless growth of Xbox Game Pass, Arkane will be able, according to the director, to carve out a space within the service, continuing to make the games in their usual style and with great care. "It is a service that will allow us to continue to be creative and to have an audience with which to build a relationship over time. - concluded Bakaba - All this is really exciting".
Deathloop release date, trailer, gameplay, story and more
Deathloop is the upcoming PC and PS5 console exclusive title from Arkane Studios — the developer behind Dishonored, and Prey — and you don't want to sleep on this one.
Players will take on the role of Colt, an assassin on a mission to take out eight targets across the island of Blackreef. It's the only way to break out of a repeating 24-hour time loop that holds him prisoner, and it won't be easy. All the while, Colt will be evading rival assassin Julianna Blake whose only objective is to stop him and keep the time loop going.
Each new loop is a chance for players to gather up their knowledge from previous runs to evade Julianna and take down their targets to escape Blackreef. How you choose to use the information you've gathered is up to you. But experimenting with skills, trying out weapons, and utilizing different playstyles will make every time loop a blast.
So here's everything we know about Deathloop so far, and why it's shaping up to be one of the best PS5 games of 2021.
Deathloop release dateWe first heard about Deathloop at E3 2019 which introduced us to Colt and Julianna, and their battle over Blackreef. The game was set to launch on PS5 and PC in the holiday 2020 launch window but was pushed back to 2021 Q2. The current release date is set for May 21, 2021.
The game is a timed-exclusive on console, which means Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S players should be seeing it land on their platform sometime in 2022, unless something unexpected occurs in the interim. Given that Microsoft has not long bought Arkane's parent company Zenimax Media, we doubt there'll be any hiccups.
Deathloop trailerThe first Deathloop trailer dropped at Bethesda's E3 2019 presentation and summed up the basic premise of the game, while showing off the 60s-inspired, 'retro-future' aesthetic that the title is drenched in.
A second trailer debuted near the end of last year, showcasing Arkane's signature gameplay — Dishonored fans will undoubtedly be on board after taking a look. If the Hitman series gave Agent 47 powers, and he let loose with gay abandon, this is the kind of gloriously excessive carnage we might be privy to.
A third gameplay trailer landed last month, leaning heavily into the 60s vibe with an original song to boot; the whole thing screams 'Bond movie' and we absolutely love it.
Deathloop gameplay
The first-person gameplay of Dishonored is back, letting players pull off a succession of stylish moves as they unlock more skills and weapons to pair with their preferred play style. It's not all just running around shooting guns and unleashing your repertoire of powers though.
To break free of the time loop, players will need to observe their targets, figure out their schedules, and work out the best and most efficient way to dispatch them before time runs out.
The world itself can present opportunities or obstacles on your path, with Bethesda saying that players can 'tackle any area of Blackreef at any time as you pick up clues and learn more about your targets,' (via PC Gamer). 'The districts are open, like what you might remember from Dishonored, but unlike Dishonored they aren’t tied to levels and can be openly explored whenever you want.'
Julianna presents her own set of problems, hunting down Cole to keep the loop going; and that's where the multiplayer element kicks in.
If you've ever played the Dark Souls series, you'll be familiar with the concept of a player dropping into your game and coming to ruin your good time by killing you. Buckle in for more of the same, as the optional multiplayer will see players drop in as Julianna to track you down and end your loop.
If that sounds a bit too intimidating, you can opt to have Julianna controlled by AI, and play without having to worry about drop-in guests with an agenda.
Deathloop story
The plot of Deathloop follows assassin Colt, trapped in a 24-hour time loop on the island of Blackreef, which isn't the paradise it's masquerading as. To escape the cycle, Colt has to eliminate eight targets (the Visionaries) before the end of the day, but if it were that simple, it'd be a pretty short game.
There'll be plenty of failures along the way, with every death resetting the loop, and if killing off eight bosses and their droves of followers wasn't hard enough, a rival assassin is trying her best to stop you from ending the loop.
Players will have to learn routines and patterns, and try out stealth approaches or go all out, guns blazing, to get the jump on all of the Visionaries and get off the island.
Is Deathloop coming to Xbox Series X?
Deathloop is releasing for PC and PS5 on May 21, 2021. Described as a 'next-gen shooter,' the game is skipping current-gen PS4 and Xbox One consoles, and is launching exclusively on next-gen hardware.
The title is a timed console exclusive, so once it's debuted on PC and PS5 this year, we expect it'll come to Xbox Series X next year. But there's no official word on that just yet.
Meanwhile, PC and PS5 players can decide whether to pick up Deathloop standard edition or shell out for the Deathloop Deluxe Edition, which includes in-game items as part of the pre-order bonus, and Deluxe Edition content.
Deathloop pre-order bonus
The price of next-gen titles has yet to be standardized across the board so you may be wondering how much Deathloop will set you back.
You can preorder the Deathloop Standard Edition for $59.99 / £59.99 with some retailers offering a free Steelbook. The Deathloop Deluxe Edition will set you back $79.99 / £79.99 and includes the following pre-order bonuses:
You'll also get the following Deathloop Deluxe Edition content to boot:
Deathloop is shaping up to be a killer console exclusive for the PS5, blending a stylish art style with the creative action Arkane games are known for. And the Dark Souls-esque multiplayer element promises to add another element to a game that looks set to be rather deep.
As such, this could be the one game that you should chase PS5 restocks in order to get Sony's console, as it's looking like the place to play Dethloop when it arrives in May.
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